2002 Tahoe Climate Control Lighting

[ScottyBoy]

Yes, the polarity matters with LEDs. With regular old incandescent bulbs, polarity doesn't matter. But with the LEDs, you need to make sure that the polarity is right on ALL of the LEDs. If you have it wrong on just one of the LEDs in the series, then none of them will light up. The longer leg is usually the positive side of the LED.

 

[TwiztidPixel]

Yes, the polarity matters with LEDs. With regular old incandescent bulbs, polarity doesn't matter. But with the LEDs, you need to make sure that the polarity is right on ALL of the LEDs. If you have it wrong on just one of the LEDs in the series, then none of them will light up. The longer leg is usually the positive side of the LED.

Yeah, just wasn't sure which pot was positive on the board. It seemed to have a + on the actual pot but maybe I was just seeing shit. I'm going to reverse them all and see what happens. I'm a little nervous about it because one of the traces was starting to come up off the board. These things ain't cheap to replace.

EDIT: Yep, she's a gonner. Gonna have to buy another one if I ever want lights.

 

[ScottyBoy]

Yeah, just wasn't sure which pot was positive on the board. It seemed to have a + on the actual pot but maybe I was just seeing shit. I'm going to reverse them all and see what happens. I'm a little nervous about it because one of the traces was starting to come up off the board. These things ain't cheap to replace.

EDIT: Yep, she's a gonner. Gonna have to buy another one if I ever want lights.

Don't tell me you got the board too hot and burned the tracers off the board!?
I can't tell you how many times I have had to repair that when someone destroyed the tracers like that. It's a *****, but it can be repaired by running tiny wires across the board to basically replace the tracers on the board.

 

[TwiztidPixel]

Don't tell me you got the board too hot and burned the tracers off the board!?
I can't tell you how many times I have had to repair that when someone destroyed the tracers like that. It's a *****, but it can be repaired by running tiny wires across the board to basically replace the tracers on the board.

Nothing was burned, the traces delaminated as I was removing the original bulbs. It only takes a second to heat the solder. I replace capacitors on motherboards on a regular basis as a side job and I've never had this happen. I'm very annoyed to be honest. Having it lit isn't even that big a deal but I'm irritated that it came apart like it did.

Sent from my ZTE Axon 7 using Tapatalk

 

[ScottyBoy]

I guess I used the wrong words when I said "burned". But yes, when the board gets too hot the traces will lift right off easy as hell. I've ruined a few AC control panels myself like that. I've also learned that it's a LOT easier to damage it if you don't use a solder sucker to suck the melted solder off the bulb leads. Trying to heat the solder and push the bulb off the board is a good way to rip the tracers right off. I've learned that it worked best with a VERY hot iron and a solder sucker tool. Touch the tip of the iron and the solder is melted in about one second or even less, then quickly suck the solder up out of the joint while it's melted. If you hold the iron there for a few seconds waiting for the solder to melt, the heat just travels along the board and delaminates the copper tracers.

 

[TwiztidPixel]

I guess I used the wrong words when I said "burned". But yes, when the board gets too hot the traces will lift right off easy as hell. I've ruined a few AC control panels myself like that. I've also learned that it's a LOT easier to damage it if you don't use a solder sucker to suck the melted solder off the bulb leads. Trying to heat the solder and push the bulb off the board is a good way to rip the tracers right off. I've learned that it worked best with a VERY hot iron and a solder sucker tool. Touch the tip of the iron and the solder is melted in about one second or even less, then quickly suck the solder up out of the joint while it's melted. If you hold the iron there for a few seconds waiting for the solder to melt, the heat just travels along the board and delaminates the copper tracers.

Well maybe I'll just let you have at it when I get a replacement, if you're willing. I would ship both ways and compensate you obviously. I normally like to "try again" but with this I'd rather have someone that's got experience get it right.

 

[ScottyBoy]

Well maybe I'll just let you have at it when I get a replacement, if you're willing. I would ship both ways and compensate you obviously. I normally like to "try again" but with this I'd rather have someone that's got experience get it right.

Sure thing. Just shoot me a PM when you are ready. I've done a lot of these for members on here and several other boards now. I can do pretty much every interior switchpanel on the interior of the 99-06 NBS trucks and SUVs. I've even repaired several panels that were damaged by people who didn't really know what they were doing, or it was their very first time soldering EVER. This is similar to what needs to be done to get the lights working again in your panel. Rewire it, and then solder a jumper wire to each LED.

 

[TwiztidPixel]

Well maybe I'll just send you my current unit and see if you can repair my FU, I'm sure it won't affect the driveability of the truck to have it missing for a while. I'll PM you in a few minutes.